Sergey S. @sergey@social.ssbx.dev

Here is my progress on latest #astrophotography project. I've done 2 panels 4h on Horse Head and 3h on Orion Nebula. Processed with #siril and stitched in #gimp. Problems, overexposed Orion Nebula, I need to shorten my exposures, then add more data on Horse Head and pick something else for stitching, something with more precise star alignment, thinking about ASTAP. #astropic

I've always been fascinated with Orion constellation, it's definitely my favorite. I remember last year when I was shooting Orion using my trusty Canon and saw a glimpse of Horse Head Nebula I was excited. It was not much even though I shot for hours. Fast forward year, here is about 1 hour shot through L-Enhance using astrocamera. You can clearly see all. It's start of a new project mosaic 4 or 6 panels, 6 hours each, I am not sure how to do it, so I am learning. #astropic

I've learned that 4 hours is a really weird spot, essentially it's really close to 2 hours in terms of the data I get, maybe less noisier, but I typically need at least 6 hours to get visible improvements comparing to 2 hours of data. Here is M45 aka Pleiades with 4 hours. #astropic #astrophotography

We finally had some break in clouds and I was able to spend goo amount of time my target. However I picked wrong one because that nebula has emission and reflection pieces and I was shooting through a filter, that cut reflection part. This is Flaming Star Nebula 1500 light years away from Earth along with Letter Y Star Cluster, Spider Nebula and Fly Nebula. Really quick processing. #astropic

I call it project of learning, just for the fun I've decided to fully utilize my new gear. First night my focus shifted, then I've realized I forgot to turn on cooling, then I've spent time learning how to guide. Now I am guiding, focused using HFR tool in Ekos/Kstars, but I am suspecting that SWSA running out of batteries. It's been fun, here is 4h of leftovers(about 50%) on NGC281 aka PacMan #astropic

First light with a new toy. Real astrocamera ASI 533MC Pro, it's way ahead of my old trusted Canon. I am still learning and building my workflow with it. I've setup yesterday to workout focusing with it, it's way harder since you view your picture through VNC screen :D. Here is first light, Orion Nebula and glimpse of Horse Head Nebula, just 15 min of integration, no calibration frames no framing, quick processing, but I love it. #astropic

I've decided to take on another subject while it was high in the sky. Because of rains and clouds and work, I only had 4 hours on it, over 2 days from Bortle 7-8 area. Though it's buy one get one free kind of things with proper framing. Pacman Nebula and Ghost of Cassiopeia from constellation of Cassiopeia, my 2nd or 3-rd favorite asterism in the sky. Shos with Canon T3i, 135 mm at F/2.5 and ISO 1600, through L-Enhance. #astropic

Another experiment that sat on my drive for a while, I think it's about 10 hours of total exposure 4Ha + 6 through L-Enhance filter on stock Canon camera. I've learned that I'd probably need more time for individual exposure with Ha. NGC 7822 aka Teddy Bear Nebula. Shot with Canon 3ti, F/2.8 135mm, L-Enhance and Ha filters. #astropic

I was not satisfied with the result and decided to reprocess California Nebula and NGC1499. Here is what I got in a second try. #astropic

What did I learned photographing California Nebula. Main lesson is photographing DSO shoot for a objects higher in the sky. Here is 8 hours of NGC1499, from Bortle 7-8 zone, shot with Canon T3i, 135mm F/2.8, ISO 1600 with L-Enhance filter. #astropic Additionally RaspberryPI are very good tester of powerbanks :D as heart of my rig is RPI with KStars/EKOS/INDI

Clear skies around new moon let me take a picture of Andromeda Galaxy, M31 our nearest neighbor and few other galaxies made it into the shot. This was shot with Canon T3i, 135mm F/2.8 lens, ISO 100 from Bortle 7-8 area. Processed in @Siril_Official #astropic #astrophotography

We had few nights with clear skies so I took advantage of that and shot object that I wanted since last year: Heart and Soul nebulas aka IC1805 and IC1848. Shot with Canon T3i, 135mm at F/2.8, L-Enhance filter from Bortle 7-8 sky and quickly processed with Siril. #astropic

I was quite lucky this week, few nights with clear skies and I was able to complete 6 hours of IC1318 and NGC6888 aka Butterfly and Crescent Nebulas respectively. I think I finally nailed down whole process, it appears that on many subjects 6 hours is enough of the data for me to work with and get a descent pictures. Shot with Canon T3i, 135mm F/2.8 lens ISO 1600 and L-Enhance filter. I am still learning tricks around processing that data, this was a second try. #astrophography #astropic

Just finisher Cygnus Loop project. This is supernova remnant, it's believed that at the time of explosion it could have been seen from Earth in a broad daylight, so powerful it was. It's consist of West and East Veil nebulas and few other pieces. Sh2-103 Cygnus Loop/Veil Nebula shot with Canon T3i, 135 mm, F/2.8, ISO 1600, L-Enhance filter. It's about 6 hours of total integration time. I've used dark frames in that one and not entirely sure if I like it. #astropic

I have recently combined 4 and 2 hours integrations and got results which I am proud of. It's been a long journey with a lot of learning, I think I know what I am doing now, though there is still a lot to learn. Posting my "before" and "after" pictures, first one I took with 50mm lens last year and second with 135mm this year after learning journey and adding equipment, both pictures are from the same location, Bortle 7 sky. #astropic #astrophotography

I finally had clear skies and pulled 4 hours image of North America and Pelican Nebulas. Just a bit of processing. I am happy with over all results, I know I can learn bit more on processing side. Shot from Bortle 7 sky, with Canon T3i, 135mm, F/2.8, ISO 1600. #astropic

Life is a long educational journey, there is always to learn something if you are interested of course. I recently got L-Enhance filter for my #astrophotography hobby, so learning to use it. Unfortunately we have not had much clear skies time, when it looked like a clear you can see haze in pictures. Here is image of a target I started my journey with it's North America and Pelican nebulas, shot with Cannon T3i, 135mm, F/2.8, ISO 1600, L-Enhance filter from B7-8 sky, about 2 hours. #astropic

We finally got some clear skies, but it was 47% of the moon and my favorite part of the sky still low for B7-8 skies and regular DSLR with no filters or mods. This is quick and dirty processing of just an hour of total integration time. IC1318 in constellation Cygnus aka Gamma Gygni Nebula sometimes called Buttefly Nebula. Canon T3i, 135mm f/2.8, ISO 100 with 69 minutes of total integration time. Not APOD worthy, but I can clearly see improvements I made after starting last August. #astropic

Learning is always good. There was a day with clear skies, so I've decided to take a shot of a new object on my astrophotography journey. it's IC4592 aka Blue Horse Head Nebula. However I have not done enough research about the fact how dim it is, and that I should not be shooting it from Bortle 8 sky, I've learned that afterwards after spending time to process it. Also my roof was in the way, I had to delete some shots. Shot with Canon T3i, 135mm F/2.8 lens, ISO 100 1 hour total int. #astropic

@sergey Of course I can't resist and not to take some astropics, since sky was clear. Here are few composite shots, MilkyWay rising from behind the house and mountains under the stars. I still have lot's to learn on how to process those. #astropic